In President Obama’s (D) State of the Union Address delivered Jan. 24 to a divided house of Congress on an election year, he raised the haunches of congressional adversaries and friends alike, calling for action on a number of important issues, clean energy among them. However, little was new in the speech and even less in Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniel’s Republican response.

The crux of Obama’s support for renewables is found in the following passage: “I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy,” he said. “I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here.”

He also pointed out that renewables have created thousands of jobs over the past few years and that the use of renewables has nearly doubled during his tenure.

This despite the glaring failure of Solyndra last year, which Republicans had been using as fodder against Obama ever since. But it’s not just Solyndra that’s failed, he said.

“Our experience with shale gas shows us that the payoffs on these public investments don't always come right away,” he said. “Some technologies don’t pan out; some companies fail.”

Obama also called on an end to oil subsidies.

“We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That's long enough. It's time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that's rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that's never been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs,” he said.

All of it sounds great, but it echoes what he said in 2011 on the same subject:

“I’m asking Congress to eliminate the billions in taxpayer dollars we currently give to oil companies,” he said. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re doing just fine on their own. So instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy, let’s invest in tomorrow’s.”

Last year he also asked Congress to support more clean energy. At that point he said: “I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal: By 2035, 80 percent of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources.”

This year he called for similar action, but acknowledged congressional inaction.

“The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. But there's no reason why Congress shouldn't at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation,” he said. “So far, you haven't acted. Well tonight, I will. I'm directing my Administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power 3 million homes. And I'm proud to announce that the Department of Defense, working with us, the world's largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history—with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.”

The President also asked that Congress pass legislation to help manufacturers reduce their use of energy by creating incentives that will make it easier for such companies to make their buildings more energy efficient.

“Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need them. Send me a bill that creates these jobs,” he said.

The GOP response, voiced by Daniels, also echoed former sentiments voiced by the party, though he didn’t seize on Solyndra so much as the Keystone Pipeline project that Obama rejected.

"The extremism that stifles the development of homegrown energy, or cancels a perfectly safe pipeline that would employ tens of thousands, or jacks up consumer utility bills for no improvement in either human health or world temperature, is a pro-poverty policy,” he said.

In all, the President stiffened his upper lip, issuing more challenges to Congress in an election year that will likely see more Congressional party-line deadlock whilst the majority of Congress fights to maintain their seats, rather than pass legislation to benefit the people.